The Game Of Suicide

ELIAS LINUS ODOH

UNIVERSITY OF JOS

HIGHLIGHTS….

Abstract ………………………...

Introduction…………………….

Laws V. Suicide…………………

Policies V. Suicide………………

Depression V. Suicide…………..

Social Pressure V. Suicide……...

War V. Suicide………………….

Contentment V. Suicide………..

Right to Life…. Right to Die…..

Conclusion……………………...

ABSRTACT

     Is suicide a gift to escape life or a bait to embrace death’s reality? 

The controversy that abounds on the topic of suicide and continuance of life, even when existence becomes unbearable or rather undesirable is quite interesting, perhaps, unbecoming. 

This article aims to discuss the several ideas and concepts around suicide and attempted suicide which has become a bane. Suicide or the stigma of attempted suicide is an unbearable pain to bear; either on the victims or those around them. 

What are the causes of suicide? What are the laws against or for suicide or attempted self-murder? Have you thought of committing suicide? Did you succeed? Well, if you succeeded you won’t be here reading this article; or maybe you came back to life! Yes, I know! It’s not funny. Sorry! 

INTRODUCTION

If life is a gift, then death is what? What is the place of death? Why must we live, when death awaits us? But, must die by our own hands? Must we avenge life by claiming death on our own volition?

If suicide in itself is not a crime, why does an attempt to commit an act that is not a crime a crime in the long run? In Nigeria, for example, the Criminal Code and the Penal Code (Sections 327 and 231, respectively) criminalises attempted self-murder, but these laws do not provide social aids to mitigate the causes of suicide. You can only imagine! It is quite appalling, actually.

Imagine a father telling his child not to steal, but fails to provide for such child’s basic needs. This is the state of the laws against attempted suicide. Of course! It is bearable simple to understand (even to an insane person) that, a dead person, out of the cause of suicide – cannot stand to dance to the tone or drum of the law. Except if such a person is a living dead. It is hilarious to say, but, the world is a friendly example of a living-dead-zone. We are in a world where laws are failing fast – losing their essence, yet, these same theories (as I may call them) still seem important for ghostly existence of the human world.

Conversely, laws against attempted suicide means nothing if aids are not put in place to curtail the actual cause. Of what purpose then, will it be to fight a disease without identifying and addressing the root cause?

Laws against suicide in war zones, poverty-driven, depressed and authority- manipulated societies means nothing when the authority are the machines behind such inhuman formation. A law is not good enough until it achieves or addresses the mischief it was made to address.

LAWS V. SUICIDE

If self-murder is not a crime, then of what use would laws against attempted self-murder be?

Attempts have been made to understand and severe the impact of laws on suicide from the actual committal of suicide or attempt of it. Nonetheless, suicide rates scale to unprecedented heights. 

The inability of laws to abate the knawing texture of suicide globally, is quite alarming, and calls for quick rethought among law makers. If the root of a tree grows beyond it stem, then the sky must understand that it is not the fault of the leave if it withers. The causes of suicide glare at us from every angle, every moment, yet laws are been made, blindly, to seemingly combat its sorrowful and hororful aftermath; instead of preventing it from happening at all.

If the aim of law is good life and social justice, is the criminalization of suicide or attempted self-murder the best way to achieve such social good life?

Across the Asian clan of the world, laws on suicide seem to be unclear, or rather evolving due to inconsistent refusal of proposals by law makers. China’s law on suicide is more concerned on assisted-suicide than the actual taking of life by a suicide victim.

The Nigerian Criminal Code (supra) states that:

“Any person who attempts to kill himself is guilty of a misdemeanor and is liable to imprisonment for one year”

“Experts caution that suicide is complicated, and that recent increases might be driven by a range of factors, including higher rates of depression and limited availability of mental health services”

As a continuation of the British Colonial law against suicide and attempted suicide, Malawi’s Penal Code, section 229 still maintains the criminalization of suicide, even after independence. The stubborn remain of such laws across African States and the limited positive impact is inimical to the fact that mere laws are as empty as those committing such acts against them. 

More or less, punishment has not and will not guarantee deterrent. The world has witnessed and will continue to witness high surge in suicide if the law only incubates ideas to kill or stop people from committing suicide when the reality of societal ills and mistreatment still snarl at us like terror.

POLICIES v. SUICIDE

According to Steven Stack, “Politically, the weight of evidence suggests that laws increasing social welfare expenditures and other policies assisting persons with low incomes (e.g., minimum wage) tend to lower suicide rates”

He continued by stating that: “Politically determined constructs such as government spending on social welfare programs are used to predict the suicide rates of states, countries and other macro level units of analysis” 

Nigeria, for example, is a good milestone of social welfare deterioration. This may be probably the reason why she (Nigeria) is considered as having the highest suicide rates in Africa, and 6th globally.

 A resounding measure of this data is due to the very poor and declining social care programs that are far from the Nigerian people. A largely viable proportion of Nigeria’s expenditure is cart towards programs that increases the nation’s national and global debt. Moreso, more is spent to see to the effect that more people go to jail due to suicide attempt and bills are sponsored to ensure this craziness, instead of a systematic social welfare policy that will improve the lives of the citizens.

Minoiu and Andres (2008), “in a panel analysis of the American 50 states from 1982 to 1997, found that the greater the social welfare expenditures, the lower the suicide rates”. These data and more attest to the fact that if the social good of the people is the paramount reason for government policies, suicide rates will drop in rapid scales.

As cited by Steven Stack, “In nearly all of 26 European countries, the greater the social welfare expenditures, the lower both the male and female suicide rates (Yuryev et al., 2012)…”

DEPRESSION v. SUICIDE

Suicide ideation is a stone throw from depression. Ranging from personal to societal, family to relationship and global traumas – it is ample to say then, that the lingering thought of depression has a direct link to suicide or attempted suicide.

According to Lauren Krouse – 

“The vast majority of people who have depression do not attempt to die by suicide, but depression is linked to a greater risk of suicide”

It may be said also that feelings of sadness and anxiety or bipolar disorder, due to extreme depressive subjection and mood will lead to suicide. 

In continuation, Lauren states also, that:

“Researchers estimate that about 60 percent of people who lose their lives have had mood disorder such as depression and bipolar disorder”

Scholars and researchers also agree that post trauma effect of depression could be a triggering element in self-murder and failed attempts. By far, it is highly risky to subject your thoughts to past trauma, which may lead from childhood experiences; ill heath, mistrust, maltreatment, low self-esteem, rejection and heartbreaks, et cetera.

However, of major interest to me is the cause of depression among teens and young adults – of which social pressure stands out.

SOCIAL PRESSURE v. SUICIDE

Until you start defining your limits;

You’ll continue to be a victim of every landslide…

Pressure is contagious; suicide is a personal response to the many intakes of social poisonous pressure. Worldwide, it’s infectious, and gradually deadening, how we’ve allowed other people’s opinions to shape our thinking pattern, and even down to our physical state. 

How has social pressure among teens and young adults led to suicide? You will agree with me that not all the decisions you’ve made in life are actually directed from your choice, there are often influenced. Pressure sets in when our choices and decisions come from the stand point of “what will they say”?, “how would they have me do it”?, “when should I do it”?, “what would they think of me if I do it”?, “am I good enough on my own”?, “is this good for our friendship”?. Sometimes, these questions are not bad on their own, yet, when we wholly depend on what society will say if we take certain steps, or make certain choices, it becomes dangerously logical to live our lives to the fullest; thus, suicide becomes the best option to avert such authority.

The causes of social pressure among people of low incomes and high incomes, successful and surviving are not far from each other. In a close scale, we may discover that these groups have common reasons to commit suicide. 

Nishi Misra and Shobhona Srivastava stated these reasons below:

Pressure to be perfect

Isolation, superficial relationships

Inability to handle failure

Feelings of insecurity

Inability to maintain work/life balance

Social media tension, etc. 

In addition, they stated that “there are three feelings that prompt a person to take their life: Hopelessness, Helplessness and Worthlessness.

Relatively, the concept of QOL (Quality of Life) among people plays a vital role in suicide ideation and behavior. 

WAR v. SUICIDE

During war, what happens? After war, what happens? These questions and more, if well attended to will open our minds to understand that laws are not enough to battle suicide when the actual battle lingers. 

Researchers have provided that the effect of war on suicide claimed more lives than the actual casualties or victims of such war. The post war trauma leaves a lot of people more vulnerable to death by suicide than guns. The rate of suicide in current war zones is alarming and disheartening. 

Ukraine, Russia, Israel, Hamas, Iran, Iraq and all those currently undergoing the wicked downturn of war or who had once experienced such have been said to witness a high surge in suicide or attempted suicide rates. These has proceeded from rumors and news of death of loved ones, and even actual deaths.

Developmentally, research has also stated that “suicide is a leading cause of death in Ukrainian Army causing 18% to 50% of all deaths. Long-lasting psychogenic disorders caused by difficulties with Army lifestyle, inability to adopt to the environment and the stress of life are the primary reasons of suicide”

It must be stated also, that war, being a cause of death to many across history, the effect is mostly seen among veterans (soldiers, army). Although, the rate of suicide due to war very low, especially during war. However, post war traumas are arguably correlative to suicidal ideation.

CONTENMENT v. SUICIDE

 "If you’re seeking to prove a point; Be ready to negotiate your happiness…"

You will escape a lot of problems if you stop chasing shadows and start living; not by what people call success but by what your heart has proven to you to be success. Not living like a Sharper but living with a sharpened mind.

 A mind sharpened by optimism, not lased with ideas of showing to the world that you too, can be as everybody.

Studies have shown that the happiest persons are those who are content with who they are, what they have and those who approach life with the desire to create positivity and relinquish social standards. The world did not bring you into itself, you came here to register new changes and create new memories, therefore, do not allow what you have or don’t have push you to end your life, because life is not equal to possession.

People who commit suicide have lost touch of reality and have readily chosen to rather embrace mediocrity and disallowed their minds from exploring the glad and memorable time they would have had with their loved ones, friends and families. If you’re idealizing or concocting the mindset of suicide, remember that your life is not a measure of what the world measures, but a standard you must set for the next generation. The pull and the push of fame, arrival, riches and glamour are the least of your inner wealth.

RIGHT TO LIFE v. RIGHT TO DIE

Our existence was not by our personal choice. Living is by choice but life is not by choice. According to Stephen Hawkins, “to keep someone alive against their wishes is the ultimate indignity”. This statement is rather arguable, as some people’s lives are taken without their consent, through medical conspiracy. 

Can I person decide to end their lives, either with assistance or not? 

If a right to euthanasia is grounded in self-determination, it cannot reasonably be limited to the terminally ill. If people have a right to die, why must they wait until they are actually dying before they are permitted to exercise that right?

Laws are been made to purport the right to life, yet, policies of government across various countries bar or limit the masses from fully enjoying or exercising such rights. It is therefore important to agree also that, right to die should be as equal as the right to life. People should be allowed to decide the continuance or otherwise of their lives, seeing that government or political policies have failed in providing or enhancing the purpose of life, after all. 

Inferring from the landmark Indian Case of Aruna Shanbaug v. Union of

India (2011) 4 SCC 454, the Supreme Court of India held that euthanasia or assisted suicide was illegal. This case however, led to the partial adjustment of the Indian law.

CONCLUSION

It has never occurred to me once that suicide is the only way to escape life’s realities – and perhaps, the pain of living in a society where death or the sense of dying is more comfortable or pleasant than the thought of being alive.

In summary therefore, laws against suicide or attempted suicide will only be effective and reasonable if state policies are measured to carter for the social welfare of the public. Hence, since punishment will never guarantee deterrent, support and help should be provided on all grounds, so that, children, teens, adults, males, females, who suffer depression, social pressure, war trauma, failed government policies benefit equally and squarely.

REFERENCES

Nigeria Criminal Code Act, (Southern Nigeria)

Nigeria Penal Code Act, (Northern Nigeria)

NBC News

Mental Treatment Act of Malawi

Penal Code of Malawi – May 26, 2020… Chiwoza Bandawe

Steven Stack… Contributing Factors to suicide: Political, Social, Cultural and Economic,. ScienceDirect 2024, 

Minoiu and Andres (2008) (6 above)

Yuryev et al., 2012 (6 above)

Robert F. Valois, Keith J. Zullig, E. Scott Huebner and J. Wanzer Drane - … Life Satisfaction and Suicide among High School Adolescents…

Article By: Elias O. Linus …. 3rd February, 2024…..